Catching up with film (in every sense of the word)

So. It has been a long time since I have blogged. My life has been a crazy whirlwind over the last five years and I have lost my way with watching films. Two children, a Deputy Head job and lots of other things have meant that cinema trips are few and far between and even watching a telly programme is difficult after the children have gone to bed. Luckily, for the last five years I have had delightful film studies classes and have got my film discussion fix out on them. Unfortunately, this year I am pure English teaching and so I am really feeling bereft from my passion.

However, if you don’t do what you love, you start becoming a miserable so-and-so who doesn’t know themselves any more so I have made a plan to get back on the film wagon. Last month I re-subscribed to ‘Sight and Sound’ (still waiting for the physical magazine though), I continue to be a patreon of ‘The Secret History of Hollywood’ podcast and we have seen a few of the big name, interesting films that are up for awards so I don’t feel completely out of the loop. Big thanks to Uncle James for getting me access to some of them!

What I have seen so far:

Triangle of Sadness

17th November: The Phoenix Cinema

Mark had got tickets for this on our special day off from school and despite the children being ill, Grandma still took them and we crept off to see this. I’m so glad we did. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to show it to my dad (especially the insane slapstick of the middle part) who will cry with laughter. I found the three act structure really soothing and loved the dramatic change from arthouse Scandinavian introspection to crazy knockabout chaos. I know it has got lots to say about the modern world, but didn’t do it in a preachy way and the ending was properly gripping. I still don’t know who I have sympathy for. Excellent fun.

The Banshees of Inisherin

25th December: Uppingham (Sue’s house)

I loved everything about this. Martin McDonagh is clearly a genius and the dialogue was sublime as he has proved in his other films. The pathos in Colin Farrell’s face is ridiculous and I love how he has gone from pretty boy to credible and impressive actor. Particularly beautiful acting also from Barry Keoghan who was completely compelling and film-stealing in his part. The story is so beautifully minimal, but the consequences and development of that butterfly wing of not wanting to be someone’s friend was wonderfully done. It is a film not easily forgotten and definitely made me want to visit the west coast of Ireland (but not in the 1920s)

Everything Everywhere All At Once

7th January, at home

We have decided to watch the current award season films (thanks again Uncle James for facilitating this) on a weekly film night and this was the first one. What a start! It felt like a fever dream from start to finish. I loved lots of it and some of the imagery was fantastic, although I felt like it could have been 20 minutes shorter (as I do with most films). I loved the main protagonist and the idea of a mother/daughter relationship being the focus and Michelle Yeoh was fantastic (as were all the cast). Bits of it were laugh out loud funny and there was also a lot of poignancy and intensity. Not one I would watch again in a hurry, but very interesting.

Screenwriting 5

The assignment this week was to help us start using dialogue. We had to put our main character in a greasy spoon cafe. Unfortunately, all of the screenplay formatting I had done on my google drive has gone, but hopefully you get the gist…

OUTSIDE ‘DAVE’S CAFE’ NEXT TO A BUSY ROAD. IT’S NINE ON A COLD, GREY BRITISH MORNING.
Lara is about to enter the cafe, but hesitates fractionally before doing so.

INSIDE THE CAFE, WHICH HAS THE RADIO ON. IT IS A UTILITARIAN PLACE WITH LAMINATED TABLE TOPS AND INDUSTIAL SIZED BOTTLES OF KETCHUP.
Lara looks around, a little unsure. She is well aware of how much she sticks out and therefore studies the menu board intensely.

DAVE – CAFE OWNER
What can I get you darling?

Lara bridles a little at the familiarity, but also faintly warms to the affectionate name, like a stranger in a foreign land

LARA
Oh, um… Please could I have a cup of tea?

DAVE
I think we can manage that. I’ll bring it over.

He turns to get her order.

LARA
Oh, sorry, do you have Earl Grey?
(As soon as she has said this, she knows she shouldn’t have. It’s a stupid affectation and makes her even less comfortable in the environment)

DAVE
No love, sorry. Just the standard builders’ tea.

LARA
Oh, ok. Ummm…. That’ll be fine.
(It’s not fine, but she knows she already looks like a fool and would trust the coffee even less)

DAVE
Anything else?

LARA
A couple of pieces of toast please.
(If she is going to have to sit here with the thick tea, she may as well have something else to not consume with it.)

DAVE
£2.20 please love. I’ll bring it over when it’s ready.

She hands over a £20 note.

DAVE
(With a sigh) anything smaller?

Lara starts furiously hunting for change by upturning the entire contents of her bag. She is getting redder in the face and more flustered. Dave, knowing this will be a fruitless search, simultaneously starts sorting out change from the till and as she looks up and shakes her head, he hands her £17.80 in coins. Lara shamefacedly takes this in her hand while trying to clutch all her dislodged possession under her arm and finds a table as far away from everyone else as possible. She sits down and tries to reassemble everything and restore some of her dignity.